Earlier Usage (until 1526)
Before the accession of the Habsburgs, the nobility was structured according to the offices held in the administration of the Kingdom. The highest officials were entitled barons of the kingdom (Latin: barones regni) with the title of magnificus vir.
During the reign of Sigismund of Luxemburg they were as follows:
| English | Latin | Hungarian |
|---|---|---|
| Palatine | comes palatinus | nádor |
| Voivode of Transylvania | woyuoda Transsiluanus | erdélyi vajda |
| Judge royal | iudex curiae regiae | országbíró |
| Ban of Croatia and Dalmatia, Ban of Slavonia, |
... | horvát-dalmát bán, horvát-szlavón bán, |
| Master of the treasury | magister tavernicorum | tárnokmester |
| Master of janitors | ianitorum regalium magister | főajtónálló |
| Master of stewards | dapiferorum regalium magister | főasztalnok |
| Master of cup-bearers | pincernarum regalium magister | főpohárnok |
| Marshal | agasonum regalium magister | főlovászmester |
| Counts of Pozsony and Timis | .. | pozsonyi ispán, temesi ispán |
| High Treasurer | summus thesaurarius | főkincstárnok |
| Count of the Székelys | .. | székelyispán |
| Secret Chancellor | ... | titkos kancellár |
These officials were usually chosen from among the most powerful nobility.
There was also a class of noblemen that arose from the "royal servants" called the servientes regis.
Counts (Latin: comes, Hungarian: ispán or gespan) that appear before the 16th century were in most cases holders of posts in administration, governing their respective comitatus (Hungarian: vármegye). Nevertheless, the position of comes was hereditary as early as the 13th century, mostly for families residing in the southern and western parts of the Kingdom of Hungary.
Read more about this topic: Nobility And Royalty Of The Kingdom Of Hungary
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